


Two For Tea

by rainwrites



Series: A Softer World: Layhan [1]
Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-03
Updated: 2013-11-03
Packaged: 2017-12-31 07:49:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,414
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1029137
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rainwrites/pseuds/rainwrites
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Lu Han and Yixing share a cup of tea, and a few other bits of interest.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Two For Tea

**Author's Note:**

> Like all insanely wonderful, awe-inspiring stories, it starts with tea. Yes,  _tea._ And not just any tea, but  _really_ good tea— delicately harvested and imported exclusively from a mountainous area somewhere far to the north of China.

Along with tea is a Chinese teapot, with matching blue ceramic cups—elegantly crafted and vibrantly colored in tasteful, artistic patterns.

It’s perfect, especially for days like this, when a nice cup of their prized black tea is the ticket to the warm soul.

Lu Han picks up the teapot, holding it high in the air, tilting just a bit so a stream of warm liquid trails from the spout into the cup. Beside him, Yixing snorts at his arrogant motions.

“More tea, Xing?”

Their fingers don’t quite brush as he hands the younger his cup. “Careful, it’s hot.”

It is quite the interlude on a not-so-busy afternoon, and Lu Han and Yixing find themselves sitting on the floor of their room, nonchalant and easy, backs against the side of their shared bed. Yixing sits with his legs stretched out, feet disappearing under Jongdae’s smaller bed, while Lu Han sits cross-legged, a tray of tea utensils before him.

“Lu Han?” Yixing asks after a while. He’s using his  _I-know-this-makes-so-much-sense-to-you-but-it-really-doesn’t-to-me-so-could-you-please-explain_  voice, and it makes Lu Han smile into his cup. “What are we doing?”

“We’re having tea,” says the older boy simply, adding a few cubes of sugar to his tea, before stirring with a silver teaspoon. He doesn’t add that this is rather obvious, even though it is.

“I know that,” the other replies with a vague hint of irritation, and Lu Han almost snickers at the look the younger shoots him. Almost.

He takes a deep breath, and the aroma of the tea, black and strong, swirls to his nose. He takes a sip of the hot beverage before lifting his eyes to the younger once more. He frowns, and it’s almost like a pout, an upset child’s expression. “You’re not drinking your tea,” he points out.

“Not all of us enjoy scalding our tongues with our drinks,” Yixing says offhandedly, before regarding the older with a meaningful look. “Why are we having tea then?”

“Well…” Lu Han hopes he looks thoughtful, because he isn’t quite sure why either. Does there really have to be a reason for them to enjoy a cup of tea together? Even so, he tries to come up with something. “It’s because we just moved in to a new dorm. Isn’t that a cause for celebration?”

For a moment, Yixing just stares at him, eyes narrowed the tiniest bit, as if he’s trying to determine just how serious the older boy is. For his part, Lu Han works to maintain a neutral expression, channeling his  _Inner Sehun_.

“Okay.” The younger says at last, slightly frowning, as though he still finds this to be a rather inadequate reason for taking tea, so Lu Han takes it upon himself to try and explain further.

“It’s more peaceful here, don’t you think? Definitely not as chaotic as in the other dorm. And you know how loudly Sehun snores when he’s sleeping, always robbing me of my precious sleep.” Lu Han laments a little too dramatically, and if he were in an anime tears would be flowing out of his eyes endlessly by now.

Yixing just nods, completely unfazed, staring straight ahead with this faraway look in his eyes, and Lu Han wonders if he’s even listening. Nonetheless, he brings his cup to his lips and takes small sips from it, watching as Yixing snaps out of his daze and does the same.

“So, anyway, we’re roommates again…” Lu Han trails off, and he’s a little hesitant to continue, but he does, anyway. “And well, we haven’t really talked much lately.”

There. That has to be a better reason.

He waits for Yixing to say something, but he just sits there, with a completely calm, infuriatingly blank look only he can make. He picks up his cup once more and returns his attention to his tea.

“So, you missed me.”

A teasing smile now shapes the younger’s mouth, and Lu Han snorts in indignation. “Right.”

 _‘It’s true, though,’_  says a little voice inside his head.

Neither of them says anything for several minutes, and Lu Han finds himself thinking about it.

_I guess you’re right, little-voice-inside-my-head._

He really missed talking to Yixing. Hanging out with him, joking and laughing around, playing pranks on the other members. Lu Han missed being with his best friend.

Best friends. The words are never said, but they’re here, for each other, in every way. In every glance, every sticky situation (one stylist  _noona_ still refuses to talk to them for  _accidentally_  lighting her hair on fire), every time he has to help the younger back to their room because Yixing has gotten himself injured in the waist again.

How is he now? Is his waist still acting up?

He feels rather guilty for not paying much attention to his best friend lately, but he knows Yixing doesn’t like it when he gets too worried. Just like how he doesn’t like to be scooped up like a blushing bride when his waist is injured, so Lu Han just swings an arm around his waist and matches him step by step. Yixing may be stubborn as hell sometimes but Lu Han always has his back, no matter what, and is always there to catch him when he falls.

A light touch on his nose, and Lu Han snaps out of his thoughts. All of a sudden the cup he’s holding is taken away from him, and he’s now looking into his best friend’s eyes. A fond smile is on Yixing’s lips, that soft dimpled smile that is too sweet and oh-so-contagious, and Lu Han kind of wants to tell the other how much he means to him, share all of his thoughts about him, but he doesn’t. Because that would be embarrassing, and not very Luhan-like at all.

Instead, he scoots closer to the younger, wrapping his arms around his waist and holding him close. He tilts his head, nuzzling the tip of his nose back and forth against the crook of Yixing’s neck.

Yixing squirms in his arms, always ticklish on that certain spot, but Lu Han doesn’t let go, and squeezes him just a little bit tighter. And then, Lu Han finds he can resist no more—

“I… missed you, Xing.”

He has said it so softly, so quietly, not because the sentiment requires it, but because he’s still a bit embarrassed to say the words. Really, if Yixing can see his face right now, he probably won’t be able to speak at all.

“Did you?” Yixing asks, and he’s teasing him again, with that little laugh in his voice, except there’s a hint of curiosity there, too.

“Yeah, I did.”

Lu Han shifts his head slightly, letting his lips graze the side of Yixing’s neck. Yixing tilts his own head slightly to the side, to give Lu Han better access, and hums a little, quiet and low.

“I missed you, too.”

Lu Han smiles, and he doesn’t bother to hide the affection in his eyes.

He doesn’t quite know what he’s doing, but somehow it seems like a good idea at the moment, so he tilts his head and pulls Yixing in, kissing softly just at the corner of his mouth, and he feels Yixing’s smile, too.

His stomach begins to squirm, his heart ramming against his ribcage like a crazed monkey rattling his cage bars just to get to the piece of banana outside his enclosure. He doesn’t really understand what this means (and he certainly doesn’t understand why he’s thinking about monkeys and bananas of all things), but this feeling—he likes it.

He turns to look at Yixing, and he realizes, vaguely, that they are both shaking with silent laughter.

“Why are we laughing?” he asks incredulously.

“I don’t know,” the other shoots back, still laughing softly.

They don’t speak much after that, just holds each other close. Lu Han still has that stupid grin off his face, still feeling kind of silly beyond relief. But he curls his fingers through Yixing’s and for a long moment, just stares down at their intertwined hands before he pulls the younger even closer.

Their tea has already gotten cold, but neither of them really cares at the moment. They’re here, together, and it’s all that matters.

 

 

_End._

**Author's Note:**

> NGs (aka scenes I’ve decided to scrap out of the story because they don’t quite fit in):
> 
> I.
> 
> Lu Han takes Yixing’s teacup, looking into the bottom. His eyes widen, and he flicks his bangs out of the way as he tilts his head to the ceiling, breathing heavily, his hands spread out over the china before him.
> 
> “Oh no!” he exclaims, startling the younger boy beside him. “I see something dark! Something very dark! “You…” he points to the other dramatically, “are in grave danger!”
> 
>  
> 
> II.
> 
> Yixing has already eaten his way through at least a dozen mango tarts, and is now busy with a particularly succulent double fudge brownie cake. There is chocolate smeared across his prominent nose, and Lu Han resists the urge to lick it off.
> 
> He is on his fourth bite of his cake when Lu Han asks ‘May I have some?’ in a voice so polite even someone who doesn’t know him will be suspicious.
> 
> “No,” the younger replies, a slight pout on his lips. “You’ll finish all of them at once.”
> 
> Lu Han growls, a low, frustrated noise. He presses his lips together, shifting a bit, and stretches out his arms until they hit Yixing before pulling them back as if it were an accident.
> 
> +++  
> [Original ASW comic](http://www.asofterworld.com/index.php?id=776)


End file.
